Coral Clamor

08-01-2005
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Laura Tangley

HOW DO FISH larvae that hatch in the open ocean find their way to the reefs where they ultimately settle? In research off the coast of Australia, biologists who built 24 artificial reefs—then played natural reef sounds like snapping shrimp on half of them—discovered that more fish are attracted to noisy reefs. They say the finding raises concerns about the potential impact of loud underwater activities such as shipping and drilling.